Tupperware vs Sandwich Bags, and Zombies, Ghosts and Owls.
Gosh - I haven't posted anything in almost a week. The house is noticeably quiet still, without Shaka, but we all feel that we do not want to replace him, at least just yet. I do have some Shaka pictures to post - I'll sort them out and do it soon.
We had him cremated, and I asked that the ashes be left in an open container for scattering. So I kind of expected a small version of the plastic jar my father's ashes came in. I have to say Shaka's came in a much nicer container - it is a small carved wooden box with his name n a plaque on it.
This led to one of those silly conversations sometimes associated with death and mourning; D-d arrived home for work and saw the box where I had left it - mainly so that she could see it. "I can't eat my tea with Shaka sitting on the table staring at me like that...!" So she moved the box to the shelf that has family photos on. Then says "It's a very posh box." I agreed, and said to her that I had expected something like the plastic jar my father's ashes were in.
She considers for a moment. It is worth noting here that my mother insists she wants no money wasted on her funeral - it is to be as simple as possible. "If people usually come in Tupperware boxes, Granny would be really miffed if they were to put her in a posh box like Shaka," says D-d.
"Granny'd probably supply her own Tupperware box, just to be on the safe side..." I suggest.
"Actually," D-d goes on, "Granny might think Tupperware a bit extravagant. What's the betting she's got a plastic sandwich bag somewhere with a note on it telling us to have her ashes put in that to save money?"
We both ended up laughing hysterically, I fear.
Today we visited Mum and told her about the conversation - she ended up laughing, too.
Talking of D-d - she's gone to a Halloween party tonight. The theme was 'Famous People - as zombies'. It was both real life and fictional people. She said "It's hard to come up with something because the shops are already full of Christmas stuff." Then a short pause whilst you could see her brain working.
Yes - you've guessed it. She went off dressed as a Zombie Father Christmas. Pity I didn't get the camera out in time.
Oh, and she went bearing cakes - she had made fairy cakes into small ghosts and owls - and again, by the time she'd finished them she was in such a rush that they were in a box and ready to go before I could get the camera out - but they were fun.
We had him cremated, and I asked that the ashes be left in an open container for scattering. So I kind of expected a small version of the plastic jar my father's ashes came in. I have to say Shaka's came in a much nicer container - it is a small carved wooden box with his name n a plaque on it.
This led to one of those silly conversations sometimes associated with death and mourning; D-d arrived home for work and saw the box where I had left it - mainly so that she could see it. "I can't eat my tea with Shaka sitting on the table staring at me like that...!" So she moved the box to the shelf that has family photos on. Then says "It's a very posh box." I agreed, and said to her that I had expected something like the plastic jar my father's ashes were in.
She considers for a moment. It is worth noting here that my mother insists she wants no money wasted on her funeral - it is to be as simple as possible. "If people usually come in Tupperware boxes, Granny would be really miffed if they were to put her in a posh box like Shaka," says D-d.
"Granny'd probably supply her own Tupperware box, just to be on the safe side..." I suggest.
"Actually," D-d goes on, "Granny might think Tupperware a bit extravagant. What's the betting she's got a plastic sandwich bag somewhere with a note on it telling us to have her ashes put in that to save money?"
We both ended up laughing hysterically, I fear.
Today we visited Mum and told her about the conversation - she ended up laughing, too.
Talking of D-d - she's gone to a Halloween party tonight. The theme was 'Famous People - as zombies'. It was both real life and fictional people. She said "It's hard to come up with something because the shops are already full of Christmas stuff." Then a short pause whilst you could see her brain working.
Yes - you've guessed it. She went off dressed as a Zombie Father Christmas. Pity I didn't get the camera out in time.
Oh, and she went bearing cakes - she had made fairy cakes into small ghosts and owls - and again, by the time she'd finished them she was in such a rush that they were in a box and ready to go before I could get the camera out - but they were fun.